fumfer

To speak awkwardly or evasively; to dither, waffle.

She fumfered around and refused to give a straight answer.

In school, Dr. Noah heard lectures on [Sigmund] Freud, [Carl] Jung and [Alfred] Adler. There wasn't much chance to try out their ideas in Monticello. Pragmatic medicine was practiced up there. To fumfer with the locals, any dreams, say what's in the mind, what do you see in the blots, would produce too many complications.

To fiddle or fumble.

I fumfered with the USB stick, trying and failing to plug it in.

There was a candle on the nightstand, she remembered. After a great deal of fumbling and fumfering around in the dark, she managed to get it lighted.